Greek inscription from a boundary stone marking the asylum of a church dedicated to *Kyrikos (child martyr of Tarsus, S00007). Found at Salamiye (ancient Salamias), to the northeast of Ḥimṣ/Emesa (northwest Phoenicia). Probably 6th c.
Evidence ID
E01945
Type of Evidence
Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)
ὅ[ρ]οι
ἀ[σ]υ<λ>ί-
ας τοῦ
ἁγ[ί]ου
μά[ρ]τυ-
ρο[ς] Κη-
ρύ[κ]ου
'Boundaries of the asylum (of the church) of the holy martyr Kyrikos.'
Text: IGLS 5, no. 2513.
Cult PlacesSeeking asylum at church/shrine
Cult building - independent (church)
Non Liturgical ActivitySeeking asylum at church/shrine
Awarding privileges to cult centres
Source
Two fragments of a basalt block. Each fragment measures: H. 1.13 m; W. 0.15 m; Th. 0.25 m. When recorded the left-hand fragment was reused in a cistern, outside the town. The right-hand fragment was reused in the sill of a house situated in the northeast section of the town. Letter height 0.025 m.Recorded by the American Expedition to Syria and copied by Howard Butler. First published in 1908 by William Prentice from Butler's copy. Republished by René Mouterde in 1959, based on the earlier edition. Jean-Claude Decourt did not find it during his survey of the site in 2002.
Discussion
The name of the saint was restored by Prentice as Kyrikos (here spellt Kerykos), based on the fact that the saint enjoyed great popularity in the East and was frequently mentioned in dedicatory and boundary inscriptions. Prentice, however, notes that the text allows also for other restorations, for example: Kerylos (= Kyrillos). In our opinion this option is implausible, as Saint Kyrikos is a much better candidate for the patron saint of a church than an obscure Kyrillos.Though this inscription does not say so explicitly, boundary stones were usually bestowed upon sanctuaries by emperors.
Dating: dated boundary stone inscriptions of late antique churches were usually authorised by 6th c. emperors. Thus a 6th c. date is plausible.
Bibliography
Edition:Jalabert, L., Mouterde, R., Mondésert, C., Les inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie, vol. 5: Émésène (BAH 66, Paris: P. Guethner, 1959), no. 2513.
Prentice, W.K. (ed.), Greek and Latin Inscriptions (Publications of an American archaeological expedition to Syria in 1899-1900 3, New York: Century 1908), 241, no. 298 (from a copy by Howard Butler).
Further reading:
Decourt, J.-Cl., "Inscriptions grecques de Salamya/Salamias", in: P.-L. Gatier, B. Geyer, M.-O. Rousset (eds.), Entre nomades et sédentaires. Prospections en Syrie du Nord et en Jordanie du Sud (Travaux de la Maison de l'Orient et de la Méditerranée 55; Conquête de la steppe 3, Lyon: Maison de l'Orient et de la Méditerranée, 2010), 109-125.
Reference works:
Bulletin épigraphique (2011), 600.
Supplementum Epigraphicum Graceum 60, 1687.
Images
)
Majuscule edition. From: Prentice 1908, 241.
Record Created By
Paweł Nowakowski
Date of Entry
19/10/2016
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00007 | Kyrikos/Cyricus and Ioulitta/Julitta, child and his mother, martyrs of Tarsus | Κήρυκος | Certain |
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Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Paweł Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E01945 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01945